Zambia has closed its main passport office in the capital, Lusaka, in order to prevent overcrowding as it tackles the spread of cholera which has so far killed 67 people since September, news agency Reuters reports.

Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said the normally busy Passports and Citizenship Office would remain closed until further notice:

"In the meantime officers will only attend to travel emergencies. This is to allow for measures to be put in place to avoid the spread of cholera," Mr Kampyongo said.

Street vending and public gatherings have also been banned.

The authorities have also declared a curfew in a poor township in the capital which has been badly affected by the outbreak.

A vaccination drive has been launched, targeting two million people. A total of 2,905 have fallen sick since the outbreak started.

Cholera causes acute watery diarrhoea. It can be treated with oral hydration solutions and antibiotics but spreads rapidly and can kill within hours if not treated.